Queer Youth Alliance
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The Queer Youth Alliance (Q.Y.A.) is a national non-profit making organisation that is run by and for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) Young People and is based in the United Kingdom. It has an aim to represent the needs and views of LGBT Young People through campaigning for greater visibility and equal rights, as well as providing general support and information to those who are just 'coming out' or who are suffering the effects of homophobia.
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[edit] Founding
Founded in 1999 by David Joseph Henry and Charlotte Lester as a grass roots civil rights group, the Queer Youth Alliance was inspired by YouthSpeak and originally called ‘Queer Youth Overground’. In the beginning QYA consisted of two member groups – Queer Youth Manchester (a local social support group based at the Hollywood Showbar in Manchester’s gay village and Putney High School’s Gay Straight Alliance (the first of it’s kind in the UK). Henry and Lester got together to form a national alliance of LGBT Young People.
As many of the organisation’s original aims began to be achieved (eg abolition of Section 28 and lowering of the age of consent for young gay men,) the group decided to focus on youth support, and representation to ensure homophobic legislation such as that brought about by the Conservative government of the 1980s is not repeated.
The first president of the organisation was David Joseph Henry, who stepped down in August 2005, to make way for new president Greg Justice, with Katherine Parlour taking over as Vice President.
[edit] Core Work
Instrumental in overturning Kent County Council’s ‘mini-Section 28’ policy after a long campaign, the alliance is known for its vibrant, rowdy protests and youth-led campaigns. The Queer Youth Alliance is one of the growing number of groups in Britain to have reservations about the Government’s new ‘Civil partnerships’ bill that aims to give equal rights to same sex couples. The Queer Youth Alliance is campaigning for the legalisation of marriage for same sex couples and as a result the organisation is one of the founding members of the Coalition for Marriage Equality (UK) together with OutRage! and the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement.
The National Queer Youth Conference is hosted annually by the Queer Youth Alliance, in 2003 it took place in London, 2004 saw it come to Birmingham, Manchester in 2005 and plans are afoot for an event in 2006. The event is the largest gathering of LGBT Young People in Europe and is based upon similar events held in the United States.
‘Overground’ is the name of the organisation’s national magazine which can be downloaded off their website. It is distributed nationally to schools, youth groups, colleges, universities and through events.
Queer Youth Alliance at Manchester EuroPride 2003 with gay rights camapigner Peter Tatchell
[edit] Regional Work
'Local Reps' lead 7 regional QYA Groups throughout England. The organisation is also responsible for the formation of a national voice for LGBT young people in Wales: LGBT Youth Wales. In Scotland it works closely with LGBT Youth Scotland, and GLYNI (Gay and Lesbian Youth Northern Ireland) who are affiliated member groups of which there are now over 200.
QYA London is one of the movement's most active groups. As a fully youth-led collective it holds regular monthly meets all over Greater London and the South East.
[edit] Controversy
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Whilst the Queer Youth Alliance itself is often hailed for its radical and successful campaigning work through its youth and civil rights work, some have felt that on their website's large online community QYA has over-politicised itself to such an extent that more flaming gets done than support. This is disputed as the organisation's membership is diverse, with many members being either very activiely involved with core, face to face campaigning work and others accessing QYA for support or information. As with many large youth organations, there is a cut-off age for participation at 25 years old guaranteeing a high turn-over of volunteers.
